Life-preserver.



No. 806,250. I PATENTBD use. 5, 1905; J.E.GAG'NE.

7 LIFE PRESBRVBR. APPLIOATIQN FILED sari-.15, 1904.

Witnesses: I Inventor,

Attorneys I JositrHfELzEAn GNE, "on AHu TsIC, CA ADA- LIFEFFRESERVER.

m tes-so.

To alZ whom) it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH ELZEAR GAGNF},

a subject of'the King of Great Britain, residing at Ahuntsic, county of-Hochelaga, in the Province of Quebec, Ganada,have"-invented Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed' September 15,1904. Serial No; 224,486.

certain new and useful Improvements in Life- Preservers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others .skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the .same.-

This invention relates'tonew and useful improvements in life-preservers; and it consists in certain features of novelty in the construction and arrangement thereof, all as hereinafter more fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims. l

The object of the invention is to provide a non-collapsible structure adapted for use as a life-preserver which may be quickly used and which will be effective as a life-preserver when secured upon the body of the person using the same or when held by such person inthe water.

In the annexed drawlngs, 1n which similar numerals of reference lndicate correspondmg parts in both views, Figure 1 is a perspective Referring to the parts, 3 3 are floats, which are preferably formed of sheet metal, as

shown, which floats are secured upon crossconnecting bars 4, as hereinafter described, while shoulder-straps 5 are connected with said 'cross-connectingbars in any desired manner, as by means of the pins 6, passing through said straps 5, being driven into the said-bars 4:, while loops 7 are provided in proximity to the floats 3 to secure said straps in proper position for quick adjustment to the person of the wearer.

Back straps 8 and 9 are connected with the shoulder-straps, as shown 'in Fig. 1, and a connecting means, as the buckle 10, is pro-- vided for connecting theends of said straps 4 andrendering the same adjustable when de- Patented ZDec. 5, 1905.,

11 and 12 are provided, respectively, with the loops 13 and snap-hook 14 for securing the device in position.

Theshoul'der-straps and the other connecting-straps described may be of any desired form; but the arrangement shown is preferred, as means are thereby provided where- "by the floats may be quickly secured in position by passing the arms through. the 'loops formed by the shoulder-straps 5 and crossbars 4, and the floats are held in position without other securing'means, if desired.

The construction of the floats 3 is material, and such floats are provided with an inner seal consisting of the tubes 15, which extend from end to end. of said floats, as bestshown in the sectional portion of Fig. 2, whereby airchambers 16 are provided within said floats.

To provide supplemental air-chambers 17 within the floats, diaphragms 18 are placed in position within said floats near the inner end thereof, as shown in Fig. 2, said diaphragms 18 extending from the tubes 15 to the shells of the floats, thereby forming the chambers 17 between said tubes, said diaphragms, and the inclined-end walls 3 of the floats.

It'will beobvious that the tubes 15 may be formed separately from the shells 3, and the diaphragms 18 and inclined walls 3 may comprise separate sheets of material properly secured in position to form parts of the floats.

It is preferred that the tubes 15 shall extend at the inner ends of the floats beyond the walls 3, whereby collars 15 are provided, through which pins, as 6*,may pass into the material of the cross-bars 4 to secure the floats in position upon said cross-bars.

The tubes 15 are preferably tapering sleeves,

as shown, of larger diameter at their inner ends-that is, the ends next the straps 5and the cross-bars t are provided with approxiposition without affecting the operativeness or utility of my invention, and I therefore reserve the right to make all such modifications as are included within the scope of the 7 following claims or of mechanical equivalents to the structures setforth.

Having described my invention, what I 'mately frusta-conical portions 4:, adapted to vfit snugly within said tubes or sleeves.

claim, and desireto secure by Letters Patent,

1. A life-preserver comprising the c'ombi nation of a pair of floats, each comprising a pair of chambers, each chamber being formed with a central tapered sleeve, a cross-barhaw ing tapered ends inserted in said sleeves and adapted to connect said chambers in pairs, a strap disposed on each cross-bar and having its ends secured at a central point thereon, movable collars disposed around said straps and cross-bar, whereby the straps may be adjusted, and members connecting said floats.

2. A life-preserver comprising the combination of a pair of floats, each comprising a 

